Thursday, January 22, 2026
Brock's Only Independent Student Newspaper
One of the only worker-managed newspapers in Canada

Brock professor prepares for class voyage to the Isle of Man

|
|

The St. Catharines GM plant’s short-lived strike is just a taste of the union dealings unfolding over the past months. 

Professor Andrew McDonald and the Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies are holding an information session for this summer’s trip to the Isle of Man. 

The full-year course MARS/HIST 3F51 provides students with the opportunity to experience the unique history of the Isle of Man, a self-governing British Crown Dependency in the Irish Sea. 

“I’ve been fascinated by the Island’s history, and particularly its history in the Middle Ages, for a long time now,” McDonald said.  

Study abroad trips provide students with what can be a once-in-a-lifetime experience to see the world. Hands-on study is also a great way for students to learn about places they previously may not have had a chance to visit. 

“I’ve spent over 20 years studying the medieval Isle of Man,” McDonald said, “[but] it’s exciting to plan to bring students because they obtain a much better understanding of why history unfolded the way that it did.”  

For McDonald, immersing one’s self within historical sites is imperative to learning.  

While somewhat remote, the Isle of Man is rich in history. MARS/HIST 3F51 will explore the island’s in-depth Viking and Medieval-era heritage, starting with intensive course work at the university in May before travelling to the Isle of Man for ten days full of hands-on learning. 

The class will visit a multitude of heritage sites including Peel Castle, Castle Rushen, Rushen Abbey, Tynwald Hill and Maughold. There will also be hands-on sessions with Viking and medieval artifacts at the Manx Museum.  

In addition to studying the history of the Viking and Medieval periods, students will have the opportunity to study other parts of the Island’s history. For example, students will have the chance to visit a traditional Manx village, illustrating what life was like on the Island during the Victorian era.  

The trip will end around the time of the famous Isle of Man TT motorcycle race, allowing students to get a chance to experience the infamous event.  

Professor McDonald is holding two information sessions for this trip, one on Oct. 17th and the other on Oct. 26th. Both will take place from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m in room 214 of Rankin Family Plaza. 

More information regarding the information sessions can be found here 

More by this author

RELATED ARTICLES

Budget cut impacts on Canadian university’s 2025 fall semester 

The 2025 fall semester saw in effect how the federal government’s decision to reduce international students' acceptance into Canadian universities has impacted Canadian universities. Whether through hiring freezes, cancelled courses or ominous deficits, let’s review the budgeting changes of various universities across the country and their impacts on students.

Ontario’s 2026 rent increase guidelines and how it impacts Niagara region student 

Ontario has set the 2026 rent increase guideline at 2.1 per cent, making this the maximum annual increase that landlords can apply to most rent-controlled tenancies without approval from the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB). Since the overwhelming majority of post-secondary students in Niagara live off-campus — where many pay market rents in shared houses, student-oriented rentals or apartments — here is a breakdown of how the new guideline will, and won’t, affect off-campus students. 

 Grok A.I. has been used to undress women and children on X 

Content warning: This article contains references to sexual violence.  Grok, the A.I. platform built into Elon Musk’s X — formerly known as Twitter — is being used to undress women and children who had publicly available photos of themselves on the platform.

 WestJet faces host of complaints over tightly spaced seating  

WestJet has been facing significant backlash online after a recent video of two passengers on a WestJet flight documenting the available legroom in the non-reclining seats went viral.  

The U.S. intervention in Venezuela, explained 

The United States’ escalation of the Venezuela conflict is more than distant geopolitics. Its effects will be felt across global oil markets, international law and human rights with consequences that extend far beyond Latin America. 

A battle of fiduciaries: tensions flare throughout BUSU’s Board of Directors and Brock student community after removal of Omar Rasheed as Chair 

Students across Brock University and the Muslim Students’ Association are demanding change from their students’ union after Omar Rasheed was abruptly removed from his position as BUSU Board Chair during a controversial September meeting.

Bill 33: what students should know 

Ontario’s Bill 33, Supporting Children and Students Act, 2025, received Royal Assent on Nov. 20, creating a set of postsecondary law changes that will take effect only if and when the government proclaims Schedule 3. The schedule would require publicly assisted universities and colleges to publish admission criteria and access applicants on merit, authorize new regulations on admissions and student fees and require institutions to develop research security plans subject to ministerial directives. 

Aubrey Reeves presents findings on Canada’s Arts and Culture Sector 

On Dec. 1, the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre (PAC) hosted local arts leaders, policy advocates and community members for a presentation on new national research, highlighting the economic and social contributions of Canada’s arts and culture sector.